Acidic / Chalky / Alkaline / Clay / Heavy / Moist / Well Drained / Light / Sandy
Hydrangea aborescens is a large bushy North American shrub bearing a mixture of tiny fertile florets and larger more showy sterile ones, which fact have coloured bracts in place of petals. Hydrangea aborescens 'Annabelle' has only sterile florets, which makes the flower heads much larger, like spectacular white balls up to 30cm across. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Grow Hydrangea aborescens 'Annabelle' in moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Plants are nominally very hardy but late frosts can damage the buds, so grow them in a sheltered corner or against a warm wall in cold gardens. Regular pruning keeps the naturally open plants dense and compact.
